(Un)bidden

by Melissa Haag

  “Yes,” he said with a smile at Mary.

  I glanced at her. She blushed prettily as her gaze remained locked with Gregory.

  “I’ll just take a bowl with me outside.” I was talking to the room. Neither paid me any attention as I quickly served myself and left.

  Thomas and a group of almost a dozen men faced off in the yard. I studied his back and wide stance. His crossed arms and tense jaw told me just as much as the glares from the men he faced.

  I took a bite of oatmeal as I walked toward the group. When I reached Thomas’ side, my stomach executed a wild flip.

  “Good morning, Thomas.”

  “Good morning,” he said softly, not looking at me. My pulse leapt as I thought of last night.

  Thomas inhaled, then sighed and turned to me.

  “Charlene, you should stay inside.”

  I scrunched up my face as if considering what he said then shook my head. He frowned at me. I lifted my spoon. “Oatmeal?”

  Amusement crept into his gaze.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  I shrugged and made to eat the oatmeal on the spoon. Thomas grabbed my hand and fed it to himself. I blushed, cleared my throat, and got to the point.

  “I had a thought last night as I was listening to the little patter of footsteps on the roof.”

  Thomas’s gaze grew very serious.

  “And that thought gave me an idea.” I turned to look at his men. “Why not send them out to find others and spread the word about what’s happening here.”

  Several of the men smirked as if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

  “When you’re out there, be sure to tell everyone how you found females here and how we’re trying to make this place into a home.”

  “Charlene...” The caution in Thomas’ voice was unmistakable.

  “We’ll go,” one of the men said, stepping forward. Eagerness poured from him.

  “Of course, you will. The thought of finding enough men to break the pack apart and remove me, the terrible human, from your lives is perfect motivation.”

  That wiped the smiles from their faces. Finally, the one who’d challenged Thomas spoke up.

  “Why would you suggest this if you know that’s what we intend?”

  “Why indeed,” I said. I smiled, took another bite of oatmeal, and studied them. “Perhaps I believe there are more of your kind out there interested in what we’re trying to build here. More than you think.”

  “We?” the man said.

  “Yes. We,” Thomas answered.

  “Or maybe there’s another reason,” I said with an indifferent shrug. “You decide. However, if you go, you have thirty days to send back as many as you can. The day after you all return, Thomas will accept the new members. Oh, and you all go or none of you go. Make your time count.”

  The men looked at Thomas. I glanced at him too. Sweat beaded his forehead. Then, he nodded and the men sprinted for the trees.

  “Charlene, do you know what you’ve done?” Thomas said

  “I gave you a reprieve for a month.”

  “No, you’ve doomed the pack.” He ran his hands through his hair.

  “Do you have a headache?” I’d thought sending his men away would have helped that.

  “Yes. You gave me one.”

  I shook my head at him and turned to walk inside.

  “I don’t think I’ve doomed the pack, by the way,” I said over my shoulder.

  “Oh?” He sounded close.

  “I think I just gave it a real chance.” I opened the door and took a step inside before I stopped.

  Gregory had Mary pinned against the wall, his face buried in the crook of her neck. Her jean-clad legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. Her closed eyes and parted lips conveyed just how much she liked what he was doing to her.

  My cheeks heated.

  “Congratulations,” Thomas said behind me.

  I gave him a startled look, but he remained focused on the couple across the room.

  Mary opened her eyes, released her hold on Gregory, and gave Thomas a bright smile.

  “Thank you.”

  She stepped away from Gregory, who couldn’t seem to let go. He kept an arm around her shoulders.

  Then, I saw the bite mark on her neck. My stomach dropped. I’d just lost my friend.

  Thirteen

  “Congratulations,” I said.

  Thomas’ arms suddenly wrapped around me, pulling me back against his chest.

  “Liar,” he said softly near my ear. My skin prickled.

  Mary didn’t lose her happy smile.

  “Don’t worry, Charlene. I’m not leaving. Thomas is staying so we’re staying.”

  I nodded, shrugged out of Thomas’ embrace, and went to sit at the table with my cold oatmeal. Physically, I knew she wasn’t leaving, but I’d watched those two together enough to anticipate what would happen. She would be spending a lot more time with Gregory. I didn’t begrudge her that time; it just meant I’d be spending a lot more time alone.

  “I was wondering if one of you could talk to Winifred for me. I’d like to know if she’d be willing to extend an invitation to families who might like to stay here. Maybe we’ll find a few Elder candidates that way or get a second pack in here that agrees with what we’re doing.”

  “Packs typically don’t share territory,” Thomas said, coming to sit beside me.

  “Oh.” When I’d had the thought that we needed to make this place a happy home, I’d counted on the support from other families and packs, a united front against those in Thomas’ pack who didn’t want me here. Had I really doomed his pack?

  “Aren’t Leif and Ann their own pack?”

  “They are. Small packs of two to three generally don’t hold a territory. It’s too dangerous in such a small group, not from our own kind, but humans.”

  What he said made sense.

  “Where is Ann?” I said, realizing we hadn’t yet seen her or Leif.

  “She had her cub last night and is sleeping.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me?” I really wanted to see it. Would it be a baby or an actual puppy? Did it matter? Both were adorable, and I couldn’t wait to see.

  Mary shrugged. “I didn’t think you’d be interested. She is really cute, though.”

  “She?” Thomas said.

  Mary nodded.

  “They’re both excited. Winifred is, too. She said it might bring more families with young boys.”

  I ate the last bite of my oatmeal and took the bowl to the sink.

  “Thomas, can you call the rest in to eat? I’d hate to waste Gregory’s cooking,” I said.

  Mary giggled, and Gregory leaned over to kiss her.

  * * * *

  Over the course of the next several days, I caught Gregory and Mary kissing often, spent time with the new baby, and slept alone in my room despite Thomas’ protests.

  The pack members who’d remained behind worked on window covers and wood splitting during the day. And, they joined us for each meal. We seemed to have developed a pattern, a boring one. I knew it was ridiculous to feel bored—bored was better than bitten—but after the excitement of the last few weeks, the quiet was unnatural.

  Friday morning I woke feeling grumpy and not alone.

  Thomas lay on his side next to me, watching me as I opened my eyes.

  “I warned you,” I said a moment before I pushed him off the bed with my hands.

  He hit the floor with a thud but immediately sat up and scowled at me.

  “I didn’t sleep in your room. I came to wake you up.”

  “You were in my bed without permission,” I said, getting out of bed.

  He studied me while I straightened the sheets and blanket.

  “You’re unusually upset. Didn’t you sleep well?”

  “I slept fine,” I said, turning to look at the clean clothes in my dresser. I’d done laundry yesterday. The men had finished the windows and planned a jun
k yard run again today to see if they could find anything they could repair and send with Winifred to sell. I had absolutely nothing to do. Not only that, but as I’d anticipated, I saw very little of Mary. Thomas checked in on me often but mostly stayed outside doing whatever he did. I was lonely.

  “Thomas,” I turned toward him, “I’m...bored.”

  “You just lied.”

  With a sigh, I sat on the bed.

  “I’m lonely.”

  He sat next to me, his arm barely touching mine, and looked down at his hands.

  “Do you miss your family?”

  “I try not to think about them,” I said. Yet even saying that brought forth the image of my parents. “But when I do, I miss them so much it hurts.”

  “Will you go back to them?”

  “No. Never. I love them too much.”

  “I’ve been trying to figure out why you stay. You have family out there and miss them. Here you’ve been attack repeatedly, are resented by many, protected by a few...why stay?”

  He turned and looked at me, his focused gaze unnerving me. I kept my mouth shut.

  “I think you’re hiding here because of what you can do,” he said after several moments of silence.

  My heart felt as if it were trying to escape out of my throat.

  He nudged me a little.

  “None of that. No one is going to make you leave because you’re different. In fact, that’s a strong reason to let you stay. You’re not just human. You’re more. Don’t be afraid to show that you can move things with your mind.”

  Is that what he thought I’d done? My stomach chose that moment to growl.

  He cleared his throat and stood.

  “I have a surprise for you. But it means spending the morning with me. I’ll feed you first,” he said.

  I followed him downstairs and excused myself for a moment alone with the washbowl and bucket. When I rejoined him, he had two bowls on the table, and I was surprised to see a carton of milk there, too.

  “Milk?”

  “It is. Did you know after we wean, we typically don’t drink milk again? It’s not necessary. We seem to get what we need from the animals we eat. Winifred believes it’s because in our other form, we tend to eat it all.”

  Not a pleasant topic before breakfast. He motioned for me to sit.

  “So I was a bit surprised to learn humans drink milk their entire lives. And tend to eat more vegetables than meat,” he said.

  I looked down at my bowl and saw a familiar and well-missed sight. Flakes with a touch of sugary coating.

  “Cereal?” I asked in disbelief. He nodded and handed me the milk. I poured too quickly in my excitement and spilled a bit on the table. I didn’t stop to wipe it up. Instead, I grabbed my spoon and took a large bite. The milk was tepid but it didn’t take away from the delicious taste.

  “Mmm.” It was the only sound I made for the next minute. With an amused gleam in his eyes, Thomas sat across from me, watching as I devoured the cereal.

  Even while drifting from town to town, I hadn’t managed such a simple treat. It had been too long. I slowed down to savor the last half, unsure how long it would be until I could have more.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?” I asked when I noticed his bowl remained untouched.

  He reached for the milk and neatly poured a measure into his bowl. I watched him closely as he took his first bite. His brow drew down and mouth puckered in distaste.

  “You don’t like it?” I couldn’t believe he’d prefer whole rabbit over sugared flakes.

  He finished chewing and swallowed.

  “It’s different.”

  I grinned at him, took another bite of my cereal, and tried to figure out a comparison to the taste before I swallowed.

  “Haven’t you ever had honey? You’ve had to come across honey bees out there.”

  “We’re wolves, not bears.”

  My startled laugh almost lost me the bite of cereal in my mouth. I quickly finished chewing. “If you don’t want to finish it, I will. Where did it come from? Is there more?”

  He pushed his bowl toward me.

  “I have made a few trips to the junk yard, collecting those coins from the seats of old cars. When I had enough, I went into town.”

  “Like that?” I eyed his bare chest.

  He shook his head.

  “Winifred warned me that I’d need a shirt and shoes. Why would anyone want to wear those on their feet?”

  “Shoes protect our feet. Humans aren’t as sturdy as you are.”

  “I’m learning,” he said.

  “You are,” I agreed. He was learning what it meant to be human, and I knew it was because he hadn’t given up hope of Claiming me. It warmed me to know that he’d taken what I’d said seriously.

  He waited patiently as I finished both bowls of cereal and while I washed them. Then he brought me outside.

  “There’s a lot of ground to cover. May I carry you?”

  The idea of Thomas carrying me in his arms made my insides go hot and cold in alternating flashes. I nodded. He stepped close, crowding me, and then bent and picked me up with ease. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He looked down at me, our faces not far apart.

  “Hold on,” he said. And then he ran.

  Wind whipped in my face and stung my eyes. I didn’t turn away from it, though. I let go with my left hand, trusting him to keep me steady, and pushed the hair from my eyes. Then I watched it all.

  He wove between the trees with ease, lightly leaping over shrubs and bramble. Animals quieted at his approach and scurried from his path when he neared. I’d never felt so alive than those moments in his arms, beaten by the wind.

  He ran like that for at least ten minutes. When the trees started to thin, he wasn’t even winded. He slowed to a walk as he stepped out into sunlight. The trees before us had died with the expansion of the marsh and stood like large, dark sticks poked into the ground. Birds flew overhead.

  He’d wanted to show me the marsh?

  He gently set me on my feet as I continued to look around.

  “This way,” he said, taking my hand.

  We skirted the edge of the marsh, the spongy ground giving just slightly with each step. As we walked, making our way east, the weeds and reeds thinned and larger pools became visible. The trees to our right suddenly disappeared into a large clearing. At first, I thought it an extension of the marsh. Then, I noticed the tall grass instead of reeds.

  “Anton found this while trying to catch pheasants. He was watching what they ate and checking if there was a food source we could gather and store for the winter...if we manage to cage any of them.”

  The reminder of our attempts made me cringe, and I felt guilty that I hadn’t offered to help Anton again.

  “We think this might be an old garden from the people who used to live here.”

  Excited, I parted grass as I walked forward. The grass outlined a very large and very weed filled garden. Onions grew in a thick patch. Wild, their green tops were much larger than their bulbs. I found carrots growing in random areas toward the trees, away from the damp soil near the marsh. There were some chewed on melons, a few small green striped pumpkins, stalks of multi-colored corn, vine beans, and many varieties of squash.

  “This is amazing,” I said. I wanted to start picking things. Thomas seemed to read my mind.

  “Before you pick anything, I want to show you one more thing. It’s not useful like this. Just pretty.”

  That he’d described something as pretty piqued my interest.

  We walked further east, away from the garden and back into the trees. The cool damp air of the woods seemed to grow even cooler with each step. In the break of branches, I caught a bright flash of light. Moments later, I stepped out of the trees onto the lapping shoreline of a lake. My shoes made divots in the sand as I walked to the water. I could see the sandy bottom several feet out.

  It was clean, untouched by man, and beautiful. It stretched far enough that the trees
on the opposite shore appeared tiny, less than a half an inch if I held up my fingers to measure. I kicked off my shoes and rolled up my pant legs.

  “It’ll be cold,” Thomas said, and it was.

  While I stood in the water, fish swam close. Small little things that made me smile. The large one that darted after the little ones made my eyes round.

  “Thomas,” I said in a quiet voice. The big fish stopped moving, turned, and seemed to be contemplating my toes.

  I heard the water rippled behind me then a low chuckle. “It’s just a fish.”

  “Do you eat fish?” I asked. The better question would have been if he was fast enough to defend my toes.

  “Do you?” he asked.

  “Not lately.”

  He dove forward. It wasn’t a pretty, neat dive; it was a huge, clothes-soaking splash. Then, he seemed to beat the surface. I could barely see him with the amount of water flying in the air. Suddenly, it stopped.

  He stood before me with the fingers of one hand hooked in the gills and the other hand holding the tail of the fish. It was more than shoulder width on Thomas. He looked very proud of himself.

  We stared at each other for several heartbeats. I held myself still with my arms slightly out from my sides. I was soaked. Water dripped from my chin and ran into my eyes.

  He burst out laughing.

  * * * *

  Three large fish, onions, carrots, and rice baked in the oven while Thomas and I worked together to heat bathwater. We stunk like fish. He’d carried me home, and I had to carry the fish and onions.

  In the silence, it struck me that since waking I hadn’t seen anyone else.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “I sent everyone out. Mary and Gregory are in town, trying to determine what jobs are available, and what skills are required. The rest are at the junk yard. They wanted a break from cutting wood, and the man running the place was willing to pay them to break down some of the metal for recycling. They’ll earn more than if they would have taken the metal.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  “I can’t claim responsibility for any of those ideas. Winifred has been promoting jobs since you suggested it.”

  “And they all went along with it?”

  “Mostly. There were a few grumbles at first, but they seem to be enjoying it now.”